"So how many characters do you have?"

[Akai]

Several people have asked me this recently, and since it seems to be a question of general interest, and since I am suffering the effects of too much caffeine after a night of gaming, I will venture to answer at length.

Currently, two. Main, Soleis; and alt, Egil. Two is a good number of characters for me: A character challenging to play and an easy, ideally.

However, Egil isn't involved in much outside his guild and family right now, which leaves a slot open for a new alt, so I am currently, you might say, interviewing.

It's hard to say whether a set of stats and a concept will crystallize into an interesting personality. Two common elements for a successful character for me seem to be a rock-solid belief system and an active group of close-knit characters to play off of. (Egil, for instance, would not have succeeded without the ToIW.)

So I am currently playing around with a bunch of stats and concepts looking for a character that takes on a life of its own. Fingers and Leta both show promise, but neither are quite there. I generally have a fairly low success ratio of attempted characters to successful characters. Soleis was lucky early, being only my second NWN character; but then there were at least a dozen attempts between him and Egil, and more than a dozen since.

To those who asked, there you go, hope that suffices...

Your turn... how many successful long-term characters vs. short-lived attempts do you have, and what makes a character a favorite?

[Zombie]

Morgan: Was my main for a long long time. Gets out once a week for Amazon fun, or when I just wana beat the hell out of something. Morgan has seen some big change and has been quite emotionaly intense to play at times. Things have quitened down a lot for her though.

Malik: Started on Hala but moved to Hades for evil fun. Came back when Hades closed. Play him on and off depending on how sinister I feel. He can be demanding to play and lonley too. Lately I have been into him, but not much is happening in evil land right now. Someone will make a mistake one day though and I will be there with Malik, oh yes.

Grovel: Was made when Morgan became uninteresting and a bit too dramatic for a while and playing Malik made me feel like a bad person (he stil does that...). Originaly just a fun kick around but grew to love him. Havent played him properly in ages now.

Brynja: Wanted to try a psion so pulled up an old character from my pen and paper games. I wanted to explore what might have happened to the character after she died (the campaign ended badly for her...). Played her story out to an end of sorts where she became an npc (perhaps) and I started again from another perspective. Still fun and interesting to play.

Belinde: My Arkaz main. Wanted to be more care free than my other characters, so i played a paladin! HA! Originaly was a failed start on Avlis but got fun quick once I gave her a good chance on Arkaz. A liberal and free spirit, should be some chalanges ahead.


I also have a very solid remort idea that im keen on for one day.

[Tremayne7]

Let's see...

Aria was my only character for a long time. Yes, she still is around on Hala, but after a very rocky life she has her "happily ever after". She and Luke live in the Temple of Sune and to be honest, I really don't have any reason to play her much. With a happily ever after, what else is interesting?

Peter I created for Sam's Newbie Campain and I play him off and on. He's around somewhere... (never can remember if I left him on Hala or Arkaz).

Zach is my Arkaz main character and I still have stories to tell with him. Silly dragon boy is awfully fun to play.

Callie I think is my next Arkaz alt. I haven't played her much as Zach is too much to play.

[Moonyju]

*is guilty of asking Akai that*
Just seems to be on with a new one everytime I see Akai logging in!

For me... Jalya's my first and main. She's an Avlis character, created out of a friend's luring me into buying the game -for- Avlis, so we'd have a game to play online since I had moved away. I had NO idea it was a RP world. Eight-ish years later, she's still alive and kicking... and has evolved A LOT since her beginnings. Or is that -me- as a player? a bit of both, I'd say!

Miellyana: Better known as Yana, she started out on Hala after I had had a ton and more of fun playing here with Jalya. I decided to roll up a native Hala character. She comes from a character I played (Miellyn) on a custom world with a few friends. I'd say she's currently tied with Jalya for the "main" title.

In between those two... there are 4 alts.

Narriom, a druid/psion on Avlis. He's fun, but I have trouble playing two characters on the same world, let alone two of the same class. So he was just a bit a comic relief fun. He's prolly still galloping around Ferrell.

Sigrami, a little Halfling kidnapped as a child and raised in the Avlis Underdark. She was fun to play when the Underdark wasn't really linked to the rest of the world, as it felt like a new world. She comes from another character I had on Hades (Sygramy... originality here!) but rolled up again on Avlis when Hades closed. As I can't seem to be able to play evil, she isn't played much.

Yeritath: quick cleric/ranger human i rolled for fun, was to be a Visimontium character. But.. ye.. nobody knows him. Next!

Molga: Originally rolled up for the Outlands server, I rolled her up again for Arkaz, to have some Arkaz fun. Easier for me to roll up a native there than to travel back and forth with Jalya.. and Yana won't go there for obvious IC reasons. She's a fun one, turned out much less grumpy than her Outlands counterpart.

To sum up, one "main" character on Arkaz, Avlis and Hala: Molga, Jalya and Yana, respectively. .... guess I should try for one on Tairis. =)

[JD Smith]

2 characters

Kate; the Avlis native and Ro; the Hala native.

Otherwise; I don't do alts.

I do sometimes do test characters; but they are not meant to live long.

[davicurtistaggart]

almost two dozen.seriously
now,for the real question,how many are anybody else gonna see?
four:
1)frieda,my former number three and total upset winner of the title of my main...the only character whom other players have requested i play!
2)ozenda,newly promoted to the number two slot(first alt),who still serves well on combat adventures,came out of the vault to pursue a failed opportunity to become an exotic dancer,and would be my candidate for membership in the amazons if i could ever make their meetings
3)marckus,my former main,now demoted to number three and second alt,who hangs onto existence only through his fairly high level;the hope of joining the celestial order(he still resents his demotion and that frieda got"his"slot in the defenders);his gorgeous,goblin-annihilating familiar,the panther shakira(and frieda wants that,too);and the hope of meeting a certain prankish,cruel,and absolutely gorgeous fey lady again someday
4)beodreadiya,little-used lowbie,brought out for special events the first three are too high level to play,who was first brought out of the vault to test a whether a certain gentleman's manners applied to less-than-beautiful people.(oh,yes,lexie passed that test with the proverbial flying colours,thanks very much)
of these four,marckus and ozenda are petitioners,while frieda and beo came here from elseworlds,vainly seeking departed loved ones.as for the other twenty-odd,they are mostly failed experiments and victims of the character customizer problems(one is a half orc with no head!).i have dumped them all in nagritch courthouse for safekeeping,and any DM who actually finds the time to purge them would earn even more of my gratitude.so,to wrap up...my character playing experience has been wildly varied,utterly contrary to plan,and maybe of no great use as a model for anyone else,but lotsa fun.one thing all four of my wayward"kids"will agree upon is gratitude and love for all the people who have,through DMing and playing,have made their strange existence possible and enjoyable.oh,wait,of course they have to agree...i forced them to!

[bidocks]

Honestly? On the Copap.... about thirty.

At least 6 were made before I even made it into the game. You know... "Holy crap, I can play a full blooded Orc!" Then I realized... "Ahh crap, gotta play a full blooded orc then." Lots of that sort of thing.

My first was Zander.... he was a re-make from another Server, Prisoners of the Mist. My first RP character, about two years ago. Before then, my idea of an RPG was Diablo... I kid you not.

I made a few of my characters from there over again, none had the same "spark" they had over there or maybe I just learned more about RP'ing by then.

Elutian... my current main and essentially only was made up in about 5 minutes. I just wanted to make a thief, pure and simple, didn't even care about fighting and combat. He evolved a bit.

Ari... wow, she was fun, tried to make her an improvement on Elutian actually. Interesting RP with this one, but... lost interest.

Nyla... she is too cute... but her naieve personality makes her challenging to RP over the long haul.

I've had others make appearances, but after playing Elutian for 4 months, putting him away for three, then bringing him back.... I don't need anyone but him really.

[silverdragonams]

You know you have too many characters when LP77 says "Would you like me to delete some of these?!?" Every time you ask him to fix something in your vault

Only 3 have ever made it past level 10 and still get played regularly, and all three sit on the extreme edge of the alignment scales.

Sarakin Fyne was my one and only for a long time; a remade character from a PnP game. She is Lawful Good as the Celestials reckon the alignment and I try to play her as it's described in the Book of Exalted Deeds. I killed her off last year because I saw a sad lonely end approaching for the character and decided I'd rather see her go out in a blaze of...well, maybe not glory but a blaze anyway. She returned recently because an old friend (Sara's first love) returned and reminded me she had some unfinished business to take care of. After some thought, it seemed like a good way to remake the character and make her fun again.

Tanya "Tricks" Hellis, was my second main character, a tifling who embraces evil almost as a religion. She is very much my snarky, pissy, PMS'ey side made into a character and I LOVE watching her get the beat downs she usually deserves. She is also a very weak build, forcing me to play her as a "smart" evil. The challenge that brings is a lot of fun for me.

Dagny Volundottir is my third; a battle priestess/champion of Odin. She is NG, bordering on LG, though "good" in a true Ysgardian "lets beat the crap out of each other then go have a beer" sense. I haven't played her much recently because I haven't really found a purpose for her.

[Rudiki]

I've got two here. I have often said that for me that's one too many, because I don't have the time to do them both justice, and one or the other tends to suffer. I should be playing just one, but I love them both too much to kill either one off.

As for the other questions, I don't have a lot of successful long-term characters; maybe half a dozen, and I don't have a whole lot of failed ones, either; roughly the same number or maybe a few more. I don't easily get tired of the characters that click; as long as I still feel as if they have things to do and learn and reveal they don't get stale for me, so I tend to stick with them for a long time, hence so few.

I'm not sure what makes a character successful/favorite for me to play. Certainly they have to be as real as possible, and I have to really care about them, but I'm not sure what gets them there. My two Hala characters were adapted from stories I made up before any thought of RP/gaming, but I've had other characters that clicked and that I loved who I made up just for particular games. I know I can't get into comic-relief, no-depth characters; I get tired of them quickly, and I've never had an evil character that lasted (or a Paladin, either). I have loved playing both deeply religious and defiantly non-religious characters. The ones that have clicked are all intelligent, complex, and not shallow, and they tend to have long, detailed backstories. I think characters definitely get fun to play faster, and stay fun to play, if they have other good characters to interact with.

[Shannen]

I have a lot, and I love them all. I hardly have time to play, though. So all but one are alive and kicking, at least in my mind, somewhere...

Shannen Di'rithia was my first and only for a long, long time. She died but lives metaphorically in Avarine, which I built in her spirit She was a Healer and became the leader for a while. She also was married to Rune Amata, and had a sister Saphron, brother Amendel, and their mother Mimi made an appearance at her wedding. The Avariel story of CoPaP is still my favorite, and I loved playing her. She would probably still be alive if I had known enough when I created her to make her someone sustainable for me, but I couldn't keep her going. http://wiki.avlis.org/PCs:Shannen_Di%27rithia

Rali'vinee Ishtarestacia is my main, and my favorite, forever. When I made her I knew more about the game and had grown as a rp'er and realized what I liked, so she took over. She is Drangonari and has a brother, Gurth Istar. She's married to Ashanar Sekor and has a "familiar" named Vilia. I have not updated her page in forever: http://wiki.ysgard.org/index.php?title= ... tarestacia

Melehpoam is great. I never made a wiki for her but she was pretty active both on Avlis when I first made her, then a long time later when I brought her to Hala and Arkaz. She's a Druidess of Pelagia.

I remorted the Avariel Ella Armee http://wiki.avlis.org/PCs:Ella_Armee to Tri'peh (Apple Juei'may), a half-Avariel, on Arkaz. http://www.arkaz.com/lore/index.php?title=Tri%27peh I like Tri'peh's back story and personality a lot, but she's a lot of work to RP. Ella was Spock-like and difficult, so she had to go. Adm. Venge designed her armor, though, and I need to get it back in the game somehow cause it's gorgeous.

Mouse, aka Mel, aka Melanie Maximus, aka Freedom Cow. A changeling who I made as part of a really fun, eclectic group with pc's by Terror, Bruno, Medea, and Adm. Venge. RL and time never allowed us to continue our plan. My intention for her was to start a Gossip Magazine-like Column out of anything I could overhear on her In Game at Elf Gate. She had ways of eavesdropping without being discovered, but for some reason pc's were drawn to her and did things like adopt her, name her Freedom Cow, rope her into pens, and try to milk her. >.>

I also made Fonzy on Arkaz and played her a while. She is a priestess of Devayani and was mostly involved when Noor was a baby. Her real name is Claire Fox, but was nicknamed after her grandfather, Alphonse, and inherited Goldie's armor. She can nearly drink Drenly under the table.

Others are a Githyanki who is awesome fun, a wimpy Changeling who cries if even a rat bites her, a bunch of Elves including a pretty important one on Hala that I adopted from another player and have yet to do justice... but I won't give up.

I have one male Human on Arkaz who I made to tease Noor, modeled after Robin Hood and named Scarlet Woodsher. He's very obnoxious.

Probably forgetting someone.

[Tremayne7]

Oh, I thought of other "minor" characters in my vaults...

1) Mark Paragon is a remake of one of my pnp characters. He's a fighter/rogue that I had die from his former pnp life and was reborn on Hala. Haven't played him ages.

2) Elias Tremaine is also a pnp character from a total different game system. He's on Arkaz and I play him when I feel liking being a bit silly.

3) Nadalie Greftlyn is still about sort of. She's mostly on Arkaz, but I kind of have her living in Heidabyr.

[Ronan]

Ronan Grey on Arkaz is my main character. I made him to be an alt because I decided to try playing on Arkaz and... decided I liked playing wizards. Currently the Archmage of Nuvar. He's sort of an exhausting character to play; being responsible is hard!

Lalant is retired. He was an Avenger of Dru'el and quite a wanderer.

Vidian Maidenhart is my Avlissian alt, a young sorcerer and initiate to the white. Not quite sure where I'm going with him, yet.

Arcanen Silverthorn is my Ysgardian alt, a grumpy and difficult to find priest of Fenmarel who I intentionally made in such a way that it wouldn't be ooc for him to disappear for long lengths of time, as I made him during a time in which I had little time to play. He will still show up every now and then. (Check the shadows!)

Varian Greftlyn is dead. He was a member of the Celestial Order here and a cleric of Forseti.

Other characters who are basically retired are Kestren Balladend, Arpier Melanna, Alenee, and a couple others that didn't last longer then a session or two... if I can't quite click with their personality or get into playing them, I give up trying after a bit. I have terrible luck with playing girls and should probably give up trying. My characters tend to run the broad range of alignments and classes, if I can help it.

[luminance]

Nymdaer d’Elghinyrr was my first NWN/CoPaP character and was my main at first. I really like him, but he's a drow so he can't get out much. He's my Hala main though, and I'd love to play him more.

Miranda "Andy" Rose was made as an Arkaz alt and accidentally became my main. She named herself "Andy" within the first five minutes of play and has "stuck" the best of any of my characters despite me being certain I wouldn't get the hang of her.

Eilshe Amalith was an Arkaz alt made because Andy kept putting herself in places where I couldn't play her when I still wanted to play. I REALLY LOVED him, but he was too stupid to live (6 WIS, 8 INT) and eventually made himself literally unplayable so I remorted him to make Liante, a barbarian chainfighter. She is pretty great too, but I don't play her much. She didn't "stick" as well as Eilshe did.

Maraethas Solian is another Arkaz alt. He's friendly but I find RPing him kind of intimidating and tiring so he doesn't get out much. I don't think most people have even met him.

Silathe Amakiir is my Hala alt. I think she was my second character, made so I could play a not-drow. Didn't stick super well, though I had some fun with her.

Dez Thram and Lueali Myihel are additional Hala alts who didn't stick, a kobold and a remade D&D character, respectively.

Iavin Solvir'rea, Lapis, and Seth Daina are all Arkaz characters who are either retired or didn't stick. Iavin is retired, Lapis is a psion and taught me that I really hate playing psions, and Seth was made with a brother character (Wyn) who stopped playing so Seth isn't fun to play anymore because he's kind of a jerk.

Zylis Daern and Eira are failed Avlis characters. I have yet to manage a character on Avlis who I have liked.

So uh, 12. I play maybe 3 of them regularly.

[Psye Shaar]

Numerous. Some were active, others always simply ignored.

Known...?

Caldo: Humourless sorc/ wannabe Celestial Soldier
Istrin: Hunter/Adapter. Fits as suits
Sigrin: Shortsword WM "Gonne be tha best!"
Nor: Tricks' brother. Only concern is keeping his sister alive. Everything else is profit or nothing.
Tris: Used to happy, then just miserable... now forgotten and/or unknown

Others all fairly irelevent

[VIpAcT]

Having played and experimented from an array of different angles, I'd have to say that my favorite characters became so because the character was genuine loved/favorite-ed by other players.

It may seem like an obvious answer, but coming up with a formula for creating such a character is not so obvious.

Sometimes you are drawn to a character because of the game mechanics or the character concept that you ingeniously devise---that sustains the interest until it sticks or changes. But some of my most fun, engaging characters literally came out of initial joke characters that I had no intention of playing---all because of other players who founds something enjoying and worthy of a next chapter. I would have never thought I'd even consider playing some of those characters.

My advise would be to think up an aspect of yourself that would be fun to play out but exaggerate that aspect---translate that into a character---and then let it be molded---possibly to something you did not even think of by opportunities that your fellow players create. Take the risk!

It is one thing to technically play a role well and another seeing someone share something special that is semi-unique about themselves through the medium of a NWN character.

The golden rule of making other players feel good when playing their characters (even if yours is evilz) can also be a recipe for success all in itself. Most probably know that---thought I'd share nonetheless.

[Grimm]

Thanks for the reply Vipact! I think I'll wait to read your book before reading your post =).

I only have two character that made it past level 5. So I will save you the boredom of listing all my alts that I will never play again.

My main character is Grimm Imagolas. Before Grimm I didn't even know what role-playing was. I made the mistake of using the name Grimm, which is my alias in most games (if you want a good laugh http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8zWmAjMbHM). The name Imagolas was derived from the Lord of the Rings character Legolas (lol).

Eelkuu Va'Lindar was my shot at a character that was less like me personality wise than Grimm (non-evil Grimm in case you were worried), but still a Ranger type. Since coming back I've played him probably more than Grimm.

I'm going to list a third alt that hasn't come yet... His name will be... Lord Sauron... (jk! =p) but really my new evil character is going to come soon. I promise something fresh, and sincerely evil to fill the void I left in returning Grimm to good.

[Doug Danger]

I have lots, was asked if i was trying to compete with NH4 at one time, most are derilict builds, a couple have become broken yet fun to play mains..

Balissa BoulderShoulder lvl 18 cleric of Dre'Ana, My first, I too was a Diablo Rper at one time if you can aquaint the two together which you can't hehe.. I miss this character, lost this character in an Avlis name shuffel, the account had a word used in it, the same spelling as a early copap troublemaker and was disaloud from being played or used in avlis again, I can remake her but given the BoulderShoulder Cheeze factor I'll simply remake her as Balissa, and I have no plans to play a good aligned character so the memory of her will remain just that.



Thelina Elshree', elven ( Trole Taylor account) made her originally in moonsea in 2004, she's traveled the plains since, once a nieve elf, now a master with the shadows. Good Aligned but I bring her out once and a while..

Penelope ( aka Sassy Starshine, elven (TT acc)) Made her in avlis back in 04-05, orginally a character I couldn't get into untill I found a place for her in Tairisnadur, She's curently back in tairis remaking her image, married to Mirkduil and Fleanca, certain events that happened have made it sour to play her, but I still love the character and her severly broken build, (lvl 22 with 90 hit points)...
( UPDATE- this character is feral living in the Tnashi forests, she's killed her one time friend/enemy and is insane enough to attempt to kill anyone who should come near her, she's a full blown lycan nightmare)

Mikkie,( TT acc) made in 2008 in avlis out of boredom, was suposed to be a crafting rper, lost intrest in crafting, character only gets pulled out when I'm feeling her, can't seam to find a place for her now but I am looking for one.
( Update, Mikki is approximatly 6'-10", she's not built like any average Woman she's very nimble for her height and it shows in her physique, she towers over anyone who is not Tyendu or Ysgardian.)


Michael, (TT Acc) made in avlis 2009 lvl 12 monk changeling..

Another 20 ( aprox) in the trole taylor account I will get around to playing someday or deleting...

Douglass Danger,( doug danger account)Human Monk lvl 7 , gotten a bunch of thumbs up on the name, and once was asked, if he wore a cape and a mask... he is the anti hero in the nicest way he wears fur and claws....

Pearl Peach Perdue, ( Trifecta of P, DD Acc) Bard lvl 7, hasn't been to hala yet, no ones brought her on an adventure here, Made her to replace Pene( Sassy) in some ways, I love the suport role of bards, a bit more time sunk into her and she'll be a great suport character. She's the punk bard type, possibly offensive to some goodie two shoe characters the same way Pene( Sassy) is.( she sings about demented things isn't afraid to comend the ebul folks or join them in thier adventures)

(DD Acc character) Arnold..LVL 0 Strong Silent Monk, looking for his hand in the plains..


P.S. Lafreth was/is the greatest mage ever made, funnest to travel with funnest to learn magics from, the best at what he did with one hell of a show.. No mage can light a candle to him ever IMHO.. I'm not trying to ass kiss, Vipact I just have some realy fond memories of him , even fonder watching Fifur Smack him down a few months back in a certain back room in a not so friendly place, OOC Fifurs player was so torn about it he almost let Pene ( sassy) be killed to avoid having to confront him...IC Fifur was convinced it wasn't Lafreth, he didn't acknowledge his old friend Fifur,

[Xanthalas]

Having played and experimented from an array of different angles, I'd have to say that my favorite characters became so because the character was genuine loved/favorite-ed by other players.

It may seem like an obvious answer, but coming up with a formula for creating such a character is not so obvious.

Sometimes you are drawn to a character because of the game mechanics or the character concept that you ingeniously devise---that sustains the interest until it sticks or changes. But some of my most fun, engaging characters literally came out of initial joke characters that I had no intention of playing---all because of other players who founds something enjoying and worthy of a next chapter. I would have never thought I'd even consider playing some of those characters.

My advise would be to think up an aspect of yourself that would be fun to play out but exaggerate that aspect---translate that into a character---and then let it be molded---possibly to something you did not even think of by opportunities that your fellow players create. Take the risk!

It is one thing to technically play a role well and another seeing someone share something special that is semi-unique about themselves through the medium of a NWN character.

The golden rule of making other players feel good when playing their characters (even if yours is evilz) can also be a recipe for success all in itself. Most probably know that---thought I'd share nonetheless.

Nail. Head. All that jazz.

Shame that I wasn't able to interact more with Lafreth Theoledeth. (Spelling?) Though the brief meetings were fun, it wasn't enough.

[VIpAcT]

**Slides the money under the table to Doug/Balissa**

Balissa and the Boldershoulders were teh greatness.

And I remember Fifur being online one day but don't remember the encounter. Tell him that Lafreth considers Fifur as one of his most trusted companions.

The scenario: Lafreth and Fifur (throw in Balissa in the back for healingz and bouldershoulder translations) preparing to fight their last battle---looking into the abyss of an endless unholy army---the end of the world almost a surety.

Lafreth to Fifur: **looking ahead at the pure destruction..** "Have enough healing potions?"
Fifur: "Nope."
Lafreth: "You ready then?"
Fifur: "Yup."

The End.